The invention relates to a ventilator assembly, and a method for removing exhaust fumes from an area surrounding a cooking unit, particularly such as used in restaurants and other commercial food preparation areas. Such assemblies are known in the art, and typically include a ventilation hood located above the cooking unit and attached to a wall of the kitchen. A typical prior art assembly includes a roof-top or outside blower in communication with the hood to pull air from the cooking area to the outside. Kitchen exhaust fumes generated by the cooking unit and entrained in the air stream are pulled upwardly through the ventilation opening. One or more filters are generally located in the hood for filtering the exhaust fumes from the surrounding air stream as the air stream is passed through the ventilation opening of the hood to the atmosphere.
A ventilator assembly of the present invention is particularly suited for use in a fast-food restaurant where food is prepared in large quantities on an open fry or grill surface or in a deep fryer. This method of cooking produces grease-contaminated exhaust fumes which must be moved upwardly away from the cooking area. Once removed from the cooking area, the fumes are captured, and the filtered air stream is dispersed into the atmosphere outside of the restaurant.
Prior art ventilator assemblies are subject to numerous disadvantages. Some prior hoods have been designed to remove a relatively large amount of air from the cooking area to ensure removal of the entrained exhaust fumes. While this procedure may be adequate for removing fumes, it is not cost effective since both fumes and conditioned air in the air stream are being simultaneously withdrawn from the kitchen area. This leads to increased heating and cooling expenses, as well as increased blower energy requirements. Typically, such hoods further include provisions for resupplying conditioned air to the kitchen area.
Other prior art hoods have attempted to resolve this problem by providing a plate or baffle located in the ventilation opening of the hood. The plate has several openings for accelerating the air flow. These hoods typically include several components which must be assembled and positioned within the hood for directing and filtering air flow through the hood. The filters, attached behind the plates, are often difficult to insert and remove. Moreover, a significant amount of conditioned air is still being removed from the kitchen area. Although this type of hood requires less air removal from the kitchen area by accelerating air flow into the hood, it is nevertheless inadequate as compared to the present invention.
The present invention is both cost and performance effective. It requires that only a minimal quantity of conditioned air removed from the kitchen area, while removing a substantial amount of fumes. Air flow is more effectively accelerated and directed through the ventilation opening and filtered. By pulling the air stream through spaced-apart slots and then directing the air through the filter, less blower energy is needed for fume removal. Thus, less conditioned air is wasted to the atmosphere.
Furthermore, the present invention includes a modular element which is conveniently inserted into and removed from the ventilation opening in a single unit. Unlike the prior art, there are no elements which must be suspended and mounted within the hood. The high velocity module of the present invention includes a filter housing for allowing easy replacement of filters.